Oscillating snap switch



Dec. 3, 1935. 'F. c. DE REAMER OSCILLA'IING SNAP SWITCH Filed Jan. 5,1934 It \llll Hill i I J l lllll lll,

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIH Ihvehcor Fr'ahk C. De Reamer) H His AttOTnelj.

. contacts with a snap .ing the parts of Patented Dec. 3, 1935 'oscmmrmesnar swrrcn Frank C. De Reamer, Bridgeport, Conn to General Electric NewYork alignm- Company, a corporation o! l Application January 3, 1934.Serial No; 705,055

Claims. (Cl. 200-70) This invention relates generally to switchmechanisms and is directed more particularly to switch mechanisms inwhich a continuous the switch to be rotatedover a series of switchaction.

It is object of this invention to provide a switch of this type which issimple in construction and reliable in'its operation.

The invention will be more completely underomitted.

Referring now to the drawing, the-switch comprises a base I, a terminalplate 2, a cam mem J berl, aswcitch blade. aspring iandaswitch handle 6.v

The base I, which is constructed of Suitable insulating material, hasdisposed in openings therein three spaced contacts 1 arranged in an arcof a circle. The contacts are positioned in a recess 8 on the uppersurface of the base I and each contact is fastened to the base by aplate 9, integral with the contacts and bearing against the surface ofthe recess 8, and by a spunover portion (not shown) bearing against thesurface of a recess (not shown) individual to the contact on the bottomof the base. Each contact is provided with a threaded opening extendingupwardly from the bottom of the contact contacts 1. I

A hollow spindle i0 is disposed in an opening of, and rigidly attachedto, the base I. Mounted is the terminal plate 2 which is fastened to thebase by a metal insert H. This insert, which is positioned in an openingin the terminal plate, has its lower end in the form of a plate (notshown) disposed in arecess in the bottom of the base I vided with athreaded opening into which a binding screw (not shown) is adapted to bepositio-ned from the bottom of the base thus providing means forconnecting a conductor to the terminal plate 2. This conductor and theconductors, connected to the contacts 1 are extended.

. tacts 1. The ope ings l2 and II in an are similar to that in which thecontacts on the spindle in a manner not material to this invention, tothe electrical device with" which. the switch is employed. The terminalplate 2 is-provided with three spaced openings I! each correspondingtoone of the contacts 1 and a fourth opening I! 5 corresponding to aposition of the switch'blade .l in which it is out of engagement withthe contioned over a corresponding recess in the base I. It is to beunderstood that if additional contacts are disposed on the base, oneadditional opening in the terminal plate is provided for each addedcontact.. 16 I The cam ,or operating member 3 is mounted II whichextends through open-' 88 I4 ,andJI therein. The cam member is providedwith both a lower and an upper branch spaced from one another by thevertical wall It. i

The lower branch bears on the terminal plate 2 and is provided with theopening 14 and with the curved cam surface II. The upper flange istrough-shaped and is provided with the opening .II and the 4 thedistance between their outside faces.

The switch handle is constructed of suitable insulating material and isprovided with a pin, not shown, rigidly positioned in the composition ofthe handle and-with oppositely disposed flanges (notsilown) on eitherside of the pin. The distance between the innersurfaces of these flangesis sufficient to allow them to fit over the outside faces or overtheends of the vertical flanges Din is positioned within the holand theflanges of the handle enclose either the outside faces or theends of theII the cam member may be manin either direction on the spindle It byturning the switch handle.

The switch blade 4 is mounted on the spindle III which extends throughopenings 2| and 2| therein. per and lower branches which are-disposed onthe spindle within the upper and lower branches of the cam member I. Thelower branch is provided with a channel-shaped contact portion 22adapted to engage the contacts 1, depending pro-' jection 2: adapted tolimit the'downward travel of the contact portion 22 of the switch bladewhen it moves on one of thecontacts 1, thusenabling it to ride up ontoanother contact when the switch blade is snapped: the opening II, a

la. When the dependingproiectionfladaptedtollidoontho vertical flangesI! which have substantially the same'length as The switch blade isprovided 'with upv 2 cam surface l1 and a depending rider 2! riveted tothe lower branch, and adapted to enter both ii of the terminal plate andthe corresponding openings in the base I. The upper branch is providedwith the opening 2| previously referred to.

when the cam 3, the switch blade 4 and the spring 5 are mounted on thespindle II the top of the spindle is spun over as shown at 21 to retainthese elements in their assembled relation. when assembled on thespindle, the switch blade 4 is disposed within the branches of the cam 8and the spring 5 within the branches of the switch blade presses thebranches'thereof apart; while the ends 26 and 22 of the spring pressagainst the edgesof the vertical wall I of the cam 3 and against theedges of the vertical wall of the switch blade 4 thereby rotatablycoupling the cam and switch blade. The pressure on the lower branch ofthe switch blade causes the channel portion 22 or theblade 4 to bepressed downwardly to-make firm engagement with the contacts 1; theprojection 24 of theblade to be operatively amociated with the camsurface l1 and the rider 25 to be pressed into one of the openings l2 orl3 of the terminal plate 2.

The operation of will now be briefly explained. let it be assumed thatit is desired to move the switch blade 4 from the lowest contact 1, asshown in Fig. '2, to the next higher contact. It is to be noted thatwith the blade 4 in this position the rider 25 is positioned in thehighest of the openings II of the terminal plates, though not theopening I! which corresponds to a blade position out of engagement withthe contacts. The switch handle 8 is manually rotatedin the samedirection as it is desired to, rotate the blade 4, that is, the switchhandle is rotated in a counte loclrwise direction. The cam -3 is rotatedby this movement of the switch handle but at first the blade 4 remainslocked, as shown in Fig. 2, since the'rider 2' is positioned in thehighest opening l2 by the pressure of the spring 5. As the cam lisrotated with the blade 4 locked, the edge of the vertical c'am wall I6presses against the free end 28b! the spring while the other free end 26of thespring it held by the I edge of the vertical wall of the blade 4,as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The spring I is thus conditioned orput under tension to rotate the blade 4 with a snap action when theridei' 25 is finally moved out of the terminal plate opening i2. The camsurface I1 is so designed that this does not take place until theprojection 24 in the blade 4 is substantially near the outer end of thecam surface. The cam surface l'l lifts the projection 24 high enough todisengage the rider 25 from the opening l2 thus unlocking the blade 4.'Ifhe edge 2t of the spring thereupon rotates the blade 4 and when theblade reaches the next higher contact I the spring forces the rider 25into the next lower opening l2 thereby locking the blade 4 on thecorresponding contact or the one just reached.

It is evident withoutfurther explanation that if the switch handle 6 isrotated far enough to cause the blade 4 to rotate .overseveral contacts,

the blade will be rotated in the manner described from contact tocontact. During this movement of the blade, the rider 25 will bemomentarily positioned in successive terminal plate openings l2 to lockthe blade upon its'enga'gement with successive contacts, i-while the camsurface ll will cooperate w'iththe' projection 24 to move the rider anelectrical food mixing device or maybe em- 5 ployed to control anyelectrical device with which it is desirable or necessary to use aswitch having a snap action, From the foregoing description it isevident that the invention provides a switch structure in which a singlespring serves to rotatably couple the switch blade with a cam rotated bythe switch handle and also serves to operatively associate the meansforlocking the blade on each of the switch contacts as well as the meansfor unlocking the blade from each of these contacts. As only a singlespring is employed to control the moving parts of the switch, the switchis dependable in its operation and simple in its construction.

The invention is not to be restricted to the 2 particular form orarrangement of rparts hereinshown and described as it is evident thatthey may be changed or modified without departing from the scope of theinvention.

What I claim as new and desire. to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a switch mechanism, the combination 0 a base of insulatingmaterial provided with spaced contacts, a switch blade rotatable overthe contacts,,spring means for rotating the blade and for pressing theblade against the contacts, means for locking the blade whenever itengages one of the contacts, and means for. tensioning the spring meanswhenever the blade is locked on one of the contacts and for freeing theblade for 5 rotation after the spring means is tensioned sufliciently torotate the blade with a snap action.

2. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial provided with spaced contacts and spaced stops, a switch blade,spring 40 means adapted to press the blade against and to rotate it overthe contacts, a rider on the blade positionable in the stops under thepressure of the blade for locking the-blade whenever it engages one 0!the contacts, a rotatable cam for tensioning the spring meanswheneverthe blade is locked on one of the contacts, and a projection on theblade, operatively associated with the cam by the pressure of the bladefor disengaging the rider from the stops to free the blade for rotationafter the spring means is tensioned sufliciently to rotate the bladewith a snap action.

3. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial having spaced contactaspaced stops and a spindle disposedthereon, said spindle having mounted thereon a ro tatable branched cammember, a branched switch blade disposed within the branches of the cammember and rotatable over the contacts, a spring disposed within thebranches of the blade and rotatably coupling the blade and cam member, arider on one branch of the blade, positionable in the stops under thepressure of the blade for locking the blade whenever it engages one ofthe contacts, anda projection on the same branch, 5 operativelyassociated with the cam member by the pressure ofthe blade, for movingthe rider out of the stops to free the blade for rotation withoutinterfering with the rotation of the blade after the spring means istensioned sufiiciently by the rotation of the cam member to rotate theblade-with a snap action.

4. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial provided with spaced contacts, a switch blade, spring means 76adapted to press the blade against and to rotate it over the contacts,means operatively associated by the pressure of the blade for lockingthe blade against rotation whenever it engages one of the contacts,means for tensioning the spring means whenever the blade is locked onone of the contacts, and additional means, including the last mentionedmeans, operatively associated by the pressure of the blade, for freeingthe blade for rotation after the spring means is sufliciently tensionedto rotate the blade with a snap action.

5. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial having thereon spaced contacts and a terminal plate providedwith spaced openings, a switch blade for connecting the terminal plateto and disconnecting it from the contacts, a rotatable cam, a springpressing against the blade and rotatably coupling the blade and cam, arider on the blade, positionable in the openings of the plate under thepressure of the blade for locking the blade whenever it engages one ofthe contacts, and a projection on the blade, operatively associated withthe cam by the pressure oi! the blade, for disengaging the rider fromthe openings to free the blade for rotation after the spring istensioned suillciently, by the rotation of the cam, to rotate the bladewith a snap action.-

6. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial having disposed thereon spaced contacts, a terminal plateprovided with spaced openings and a spindle, said spindle having mountedthereon a switch blade for connecting the terminal plate to, anddisconnecting it from, the contacts, a rotatable cam, and a springpressing the blade against the contacts and rotatably coupling the bladeand cam, a rider on the blade, positionable in the openings of the plateunder the pressure of the blade for locking the blade whenever itengages one of the contacts, and a projection on the blade, operativelyassociated with the cam by the pressure of the blade, for disengagingthe rider from the openings to free the blade for rotation after thespring is tensioned sufliciently by the rotation of the cam, to rotatethe blade with a snap action..

7. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base of insulatingmaterial having disposed thereon spaced contacts, a terminal plateprovided with spaced openings and a spindle, said spindle having mountedthereon a rotatable branched cam, a branched switch blade disposedwithin the branches of the cam for connecting the terminal plate to, anddisconnecting it from, the contactsjand a spring disposed within thebranches of the switch blade and rotatably coupling the blade and cam, arider on one branch of the blade, positionable in the openings of theplate under the pressure of the same branch, forlocking the bladewhenever it.engages one of the contacts, and a projection on the samebranch, operatively associated with the cam by the pressure of thebranch, for disengaging the rider from the openings to free the bladefor rotation without interfering with the rotation of the blade afterthe spring is tensionedsuflicient- 1y, by the rotation of the cam, torotate the blade with a snap action.

8. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base provided with spacedcontacts, a switch blade rotatable over the contacts, a spring forrotating the blades and for pressing the blades against the contacts,means for positively looking the blade in the position whenever itengages one of the contacts, means for tensioning the spring, and meansdependent upon the spring being tensioned sufliciently to rotate theblade with a snap action for positively freeing the blade for rotation.g

9. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base provided with spacedcontacts and a spindle, a branched operating member rotatably mounted onsaid spindle, a switch blade disposed within the branches of saidoperating member, means including a spring disposed within the branchesof said operating member and urging the blade against one of thebranches of said operating member for holding the operating member andblade in assembled relation and for rotatably coupling the operatingmember and blade, means for locking the blade whenever it engages one ofthe contacts, means for tensioning the spring, and means dependent uponthe spring being tensioned sufliciently to rotate the blade with a snapaction for freeing the blade for rotation.

10. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base provided withspaced contacts and a spindle, a branched operating member rotatablymounted on said spindle, a switch blade disposed within the branches ofsaid operating member, means including a spring disposed within thebranches of said operating member and urging the blade against one ofthe branches of said operating member for holding the operating memberand blade in assembled relation and pressing the blade against thecontacts and for rotatably coupling the operating member and blade,means for locking the blade whenever it engages one of the contacts,means for tensioning the spring, and means dependent upon the springbeing tensioned sufiiciently to rotate the blade with a snap action forfreeing the blade for rotation.

- 11. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base provided withspaced contacts and a spindle, an operating member rotatably mounted onsaid spindle, a switch blade rotatably carried by said spindle, saidswitch blade having a separate flexible arm, means urging said flexiblearm against stops for locking said blade in a position engaging one ofsaid contacts, a spring for rotatably coupling said blade and saidoperating member and pressing said switch blade against said contacts,means for tensioning said spring, and means dependent upon the springbeing tensioned sufliciently to rotate the blade with a snap action forpositively freeing said flexible arm from said stops.

12. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base provided with acontact, a switch blade rotatably carried on said base, said switchblade having a separate flexible arm, means urging said flexible armagainst stops for locking said blade into position, an operating membercarried by said base, a spring for rotatably coupling said blade andsaid operating member, means for tensioning said spring, and meansdependent upon said spring being tensioned sufliciently to rotate theblade with a snap action for lifting said flexible arm'away from saidstops without interfering with the rotation of said switch blade.

13. In a switch mechanism, the combination of a base having disposedthereon spaced contacts, spaced stops, and a spindle, said spindlehaving mounted thereon a rotatable branched cam member, a branchedswitch blade disposed within the branches of the cam member and ro-,tatable over the contacts, a spring disposed within the branches of theblade for rotatably coupling the blade and cam member, a flexible arm onone branch of the blade having a rider biased into engagement with saidstops for locking the blade whenever it engages one of the contacts, andmeans on said cam member operatively associated with the flexible armfor moving the rider out of engagement with the stops to free the bladefor rotation after the spring means is tensioned sufficiently to movethe blade with a snap action.

14. In a switchmechanism, the combination of a base having disposedthereon spaced contacts, a terminal plate provided with spaced openingsand a'spindle, said spindle having mounted thereon a switch blade forconnecting the terminal plate to, and disconnecting it from thecontacts, a rotatable cam, and a spring rotatably coupling the blade andcam, a flexible arm on the blade having a rider biased into the openingsof the terminal plate for locking the blade whenever it engages one ofthe contacts, means on the cam operatively associated with the flexiblearm for disengaging the rider from the openings to free the blade torrotation after the spring camjto rotate the'blade with abnap'action.

15. In a switch mechanijsm', the ;cornbination of a base having disposedjthereon 'spac'ed 'con- 5 tacts, a terminalplate providedwithspaced'opjem ings and a spindle, spindle;havingfmonnted thereon arotatable ibranchedi cam, a branched 'switch blade disposedfwithin thebranches of the cam for connectingtlie 'ternnnalplate to' and i0disconnecting it'rrpm; the contacts and a spring disposed within p thebranches of the switch blade and rotatably coupling the" made'am' cam, a

flexible arm onone branchof the blade having a rider biasedintohe"openings of the terminal 15 plate for locking the blade w'henever' itengages 7 one of the contacts; and means onsa'idfcamoperativelyassociated with thejflexible arm for disengaging the rider'frorntheiope'nings to frethe blade for rotation afterithe spring istensioned 20 sufficiently by rotation offthe cam to rotate the bladewith a snap'actiQn R 'Q-DER AMEB

